Government pauses relocation of Ukrainians from all State-contracted accommodation

Residents of Cork Student Village Olena Romanova and Polina Serhieieva. Picture: David Creedon

The Department of Integration has confirmed it has "temporarily paused" all relocations of people fleeing the war in Ukraine from State-contracted accommodations across the country.

The Irish Examiner reported the relocation of elderly and disabled Ukrainian residents of a large student accommodation complex in Cork City had been postponed until further notice, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the remaining residents.

Some 425 Ukrainians are currently living at the Cork Student Village complex, among them 200 families, 70 children of school-going age, 40 people in their late teens and early 20s, and a number of adults with complex medical conditions. The residents were recently told they were to be moved out of the complex by Thursday, March 13, with department officials citing obligations under Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation.

Last year, the Department of Further and Higher Education wrote to the Department of Integration to express concern over ongoing contracts to house refugees in former student accommodation centres.

It said that, in instances where they had not been providing dedicated accommodation to students for more than two years, these settings would be excluded from obligations under the RPZ legislation and thus required to be returned to students.

The elderly and disabled residents of Cork Student Village had been due to be relocated on Thursday, with the remainder slated to be moved on March 13.

In a letter dated February 25, the department's Ukraine Crisis Temporary Response Team informed residents of "challenges regarding moves from State-contracted accommodation" and that "further engagement and discussions are taking place with a view to addressing the matter".

The letter also stated a representative of the department would be in touch at "a later date to clarify when this relocation will take place".

Now however, the Department of Integration has confirmed all of the complex's residents will be staying put, and it appears  this temporary pause also extends to the proposed relocation of Ukrainians from all State-contracted accommodation across the country.

A Department of Integration spokesperson told the Irish Examiner: "The relocation of those fleeing the war in Ukraine from all State-contracted accommodation has been temporarily paused.

"Further information will be provided to residents and providers as soon as possible."

In January, the Department of Integration also put on hold the decision to relocate up to 400 Ukrainian refugees who had been living in the former Quality Hotel in Youghal in East Cork. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Last week, Ukrainian refugees living in student accommodation at the IFSC in Dublin requested permission to remain living there until the summer. This group of more than 200, which includes 40 children, were also originally told they would need to leave the premises by March 13.

In January, the Department of Integration also put on hold the decision to relocate up to 400 Ukrainian refugees who had been living in the former Quality Hotel in Youghal in East Cork.

Also last month, 54 Ukrainian refugees living at the Westbourne Student Accommodation complex in Limerick City were told they would be relocated to hotels and accommodation centres across Limerick city and county on March 4.

A number of residents were told to try to secure accommodation in the private rental market via the Accommodation Recognition Payment for Ukrainian refugees. However, the ARP programme is due to end on March 31 unless a decision to extend it is made.